Details

Actions

Jan 8, 2014: REFERRED TO HEALTH

Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO HEALTH

Memo

BILL NUMBER:S475

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, in relation to autism spectrum disorder reporting

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To establish a registry in the Department of Health for reporting diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders and maintaining such information to improve the current knowledge and understating of autism, to conduct thorough and complete epidemiological surveys of the disorder, to enable analysis of this problem, and to plan for and provide services to children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.

Section 2 of the bill adds a new Article 24-F to the public health law setting up the registry, reporting requirements and provisions to ensure confidentiality.

Section 3 of the bill provides for an effective date 120 days after enactment.

JUSTIFICATION: This bill establishes a central registry within the Department of Health, similar to that currently in place for other conditions such as cancer and birth defects, to maintain reports of diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder in New York State. With the most recent CDC study estimating that 1 in 150 children nationally now has autism, tracking cases of autism throughout the state will provided much needed information to improve the current understanding of autism, to conduct thorough and complete epidemiological surveys of the disorder, to enable analysis of this problem, and to plan for and provide services to children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law, provided that the commissioner of health is authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date or before such date.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
475
2013-2014 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
(PREFILED)
January 9, 2013
___________

Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to autism spectrum
disorder reporting
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that there is a
clear need for great accuracy in reporting and gathering epidemiologic
data on the incidence of autism spectrum disorders in New York state.
Further, the legislature finds that the state currently requires that a
number of other conditions, including cancer and birth defects, be
reported and maintained in a central registry. A similar registry
requirement for reporting diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders and
maintaining such information is needed to improve the current knowledge
and understanding of autism, to conduct thorough and complete epidemio-
logic surveys of the disorder, to enable analysis of this problem, and
to plan for and provide services to children with autism spectrum disor-
ders and their families.
S 2. The public health law is amended by adding a new article 24-F to
read as follows:
ARTICLE 24-F
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER REPORTING
SECTION 2499-B. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER; DUTY TO REPORT.
2499-C. REGISTRY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
S 2499-B. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER; DUTY TO REPORT. 1. EVERY PHYSICIAN
OR PSYCHOLOGIST LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR OF
THE EDUCATION LAW, AND ANY OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL LICENSED
PURSUANT TO TITLE EIGHT OF THE EDUCATION LAW WHO IS QUALIFIED BY TRAIN-
ING TO MAKE THE DIAGNOSIS AND WHO THEN MAKES THE DIAGNOSIS THAT A CHILD

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00776-01-3

S. 475 2

IS AFFECTED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER SHALL REPORT SUCH DIAGNOSIS TO
THE DEPARTMENT IN A FORM AND MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE COMMISSIONER.
2. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE MADE IN WRITING AND SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
LIMITED TO, THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE PERSON SUBMITTING THE REPORT,
THE NAME, AGE AND ADDRESS OF THE CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER, AND ANY OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE
COMMISSIONER, EXCEPT THAT IF THE CHILD'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN OBJECTS TO
THE REPORTING OF THE CHILD'S DIAGNOSIS FOR ANY REASON, THE REPORT SHALL
NOT INCLUDE ANY INFORMATION THAT COULD BE USED TO IDENTIFY THE CHILD.
3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SPECIFY PROCEDURES FOR HEALTH CARE PROFES-
SIONALS TO INFORM CHILDREN'S PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THIS SECTION, THE PURPOSE OF INCLUDING THIS INFORMATION IN A REGIS-
TRY, AND THE OPTION TO REFUSE TO PERMIT THE REPORTING OF ANY INFORMATION
THAT COULD BE USED TO IDENTIFY A CHILD.
S 2499-C. REGISTRY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES,
SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN AN UP-TO-DATE REGISTRY WHICH SHALL INCLUDE
A RECORD OF ALL REPORTED CASES OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER THAT OCCUR IN
THE STATE AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION IT DEEMS RELEVANT AND APPROPRIATE IN
ORDER TO CONDUCT THOROUGH AND COMPLETE EPIDEMIOLOGIC SURVEYS OF AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDERS, TO ENABLE ANALYSIS OF THIS PROBLEM, AND TO PLAN FOR
AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES.
2. THE REPORTS MADE PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE ARE TO BE USED ONLY BY
THE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER AGENCIES AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE COMMIS-
SIONER, INCLUDING THE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
AND THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND SHALL NOT OTHERWISE BE DIVULGED OR
MADE PUBLIC SO AS TO DISCLOSE THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON TO WHOM THEY
RELATE. A PHYSICIAN, PSYCHOLOGIST OR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL
PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE SHALL
NOT BE DEEMED TO BE OR HELD LIABLE FOR DIVULGING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMA-
TION.
3. NOTHING IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO COMPEL A CHILD WHO
HAS BEEN REPORTED AS AFFECTED WITH AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO SUBMIT
TO A MEDICAL OR HEALTH EXAMINATION, OR SUPERVISION BY THE DEPARTMENT.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law. Provided that the commissioner of health is
authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any
other measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date on
or before such date.

Comments

Open Legislation comments facilitate discussion of New York State legislation. All comments are subject to moderation.
Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity or hate speech;
or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Comment moderation
is generally performed Monday through Friday.